Has anyone had trouble with hair loss?

[Dusty]

I am having surgery on Dec. 29th and have always had trouble with hair loss when I lose weight. Is that just me? Any suggegestions?

[Lindsay]

This is very common for many people during (more drastic/quick) weight loss, and it's usually caused by a lack of protein.

Lap-Band patients are advised to consume fifty to sixty grams of protein daily to avoid protein deficiency. Protein deficiency causes hair loss, fatigue, edema, muscle weakness, and a delay in wound healing. A lack of adequate protein may also lead to depression, anxiety, irritability, apathy, and other mental health conditions, as well as cause a number of physical health issues from gallstones to colds, headaches, low blood pressure, anemia, irregular hear rates, and, in extreme cases, death. A lab can measure the amount of protein in your blood by performing a serum albumin blood test. Source

It's extremely important that while eating with a lapband, you keep close monitoring of your nutritional ratios.

It key to know the real value of proteins/fats & carbs.

You're now eating for fuel, not for pleasure.

Here are a few other quick reads on the topic:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156093.php

http://www.naturalnews.com/012893_hair_loss_baldness_health.html

But there's TONS of info out there -

i just found that by doing a very quick google search.

Please use the Search Function box in the top right corner of the forum. This topic has been discussed many times, and you'll find a lot more info on it, including other people's experiences with it.

[Kristi]

Hi Dusty,

Hair loss is common. It seemed like a lot when I was losing weight as fast as I was, but now that I have slowed down quite a bit, now I am back to the normal everyday pre-banded hair loss. They say that an average person loses about 50 to 100 hairs per day. I don't think I lose that much every day now, but I could be wrong.

Lindsay, you find stuff so quickly, I am jealous of your internet savvy-ness.

I am so not that good at search engines.

Hugs,

Kristi

[bogiesmom]

Hi,

I have been banded for a month and have had no more hair lose than I normally do. I did not think I would though since it has never been an issue for me in the past. I have really thick hair and I was praying for some increase in lose but no such luck.

[aSpen]

I have been banded for almost a year and even before the band I had problems with hair loss. I went to the Dermatologist and he recommended taking Biotin. It seems to have worked a bit and slowed it down.

[tootsie_lou]

This is very common for many people during (more drastic/quick) weight loss, and it's usually caused by a lack of protein.

It's extremely important that while eating with a lapband, you keep close monitoring of your nutritional ratios.

It key to know the real value of proteins/fats & carbs.

You're now eating for fuel, not for pleasure.

Here are a few other quick reads on the topic:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156093.php

http://www.naturalnews.com/012893_hair_loss_baldness_health.html

But there's TONS of info out there -

i just found that by doing a very quick google search.

Please use the Search Function box in the top right corner of the forum. This topic has been discussed many times, and you'll find a lot more info on it, including other people's experiences with it.

Great post!! Really helpful.

[louisem]

I've recently gone through a bout of excessive hair loss due to lack of protein. I was REALLY tight over the summer and wasn't getting anywhere near enough protein. I did some searching on line and the best explanation I could find is that when the body doesn't get enough fuel more follicles than normal go into dormancy and the hair begins to fall out. Then when things normalize and the hair begins to grow again the new growth can essentially push out the hair that was dormant, making the problem worse before it gets better. What that also means is that when you see excessive hair loss it is generally due to problems you had up to 3 months in the past. So really the best thing you can do is prevent the problem by getting enough protein (and to some extent fat) to begin with.

Thankfully, even though my pony-tail is now at least a third smaller than it was I had a LOT to begin with so now I have a normal head of hair and it has slowed since I've gotten my fill level fixed. I'm pretty sure the amount of hair you lose is also proportional to the amount you had to begin with, which explains my frequent need to use liquid plumber to unclog my shower drain

Louise

[AngieB]

I've recently gone through a bout of excessive hair loss due to lack of protein. I was REALLY tight over the summer and wasn't getting anywhere near enough protein. I did some searching on line and the best explanation I could find is that when the body doesn't get enough fuel more follicles than normal go into dormancy and the hair begins to fall out. Then when things normalize and the hair begins to grow again the new growth can essentially push out the hair that was dormant, making the problem worse before it gets better. What that also means is that when you see excessive hair loss it is generally due to problems you had up to 3 months in the past. So really the best thing you can do is prevent the problem by getting enough protein (and to some extent fat) to begin with.

Thankfully, even though my pony-tail is now at least a third smaller than it was I had a LOT to begin with so now I have a normal head of hair and it has slowed since I've gotten my fill level fixed. I'm pretty sure the amount of hair you lose is also proportional to the amount you had to begin with, which explains my frequent need to use liquid plumber to unclog my shower drain

Louise

Louise - I know all to well the clogged drain issue. My hubby fixed out tub, same issue. I've also lost 1/3 of my hair in pony tail speak. You wouldn't know it by looking at me. Although I don't like it, it really hasn't affected my daily life, other than a slow drain.

My hair loss has slowed, but I don't expect it will stop any time soon.....I do my best to get enough protein in. Sometimes I do a protein shot to boost me. Although I do my best to eat my protein, sometimes I fall short.

Great post, I blogged about this issue a while back too. Over all I think it is pretty common. Biotin is said to help, I have not purchased any YET, myself. Only because I have been taking some brewers yeast instead.

[MyNext30Years]

I think any time our bodies go through a trauma of surgery it goes into a reaction mode of keeping and then letting go. For example, after I had my babies, I did not lose my "normal" amount of hair for a long period of time (like my body was holding onto it), then about 4-5 mos. later...BAM It was a little disturbing to have a ton of hair keep pouring out day after day for a seemingly very long time. But eventually it got back to normal.

After a quick search I came across this article to somewhat back up my claim up there!

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/men/general/081.html

Luckily my mom is an RN and was able to reassure me it was normal when it started happening after my 1st baby.

Another article w/ gastric bypass - I know it's different than the band but it's still weight loss surgery. This article also says that protein can help.

"Why do gastric bypass and hair loss seem to go hand in hand?

When many more hairs than usual are in the exogen phase at once, you notice lots more hair on your hairbrush. There are lots of things that can cause a disruption in your hair's cycle: hormonal changes (a dramatic change in diet can cause your hormones to think things are a bit difficult in the world, and they try to adapt), blood thinners (remember the heparin shots you got at the hospital right after surgery?), and the stress of undergoing surgery. Anesthesia is a possible risk factor as well. It is very common for people to notice more hair loss than usual about three months after having general anesthesia."

http://www.gastric-bypass-guru.com/hair-loss-after-surgery.html

[Alice]

Dear Dusty,

Merry Christmas to you and your family...There are various causes of hair loss and there is a question about the connection if there is one, between weight loss and hair loss. Extreme weight loss such as that which results from eating disorders and crash dieting will likely rob the body of the vitamins and minerals necessary for over-all good health and specifically healthy hair. Once these things are replaced your hair's condition will likely improve.